Moringa oleifera is a fairly large tree that is native to North India.

It goes by a variety of names, such as drumstick tree, horse radish tree, or ben oil tree.

Almost all parts of the Moringa tree can be eaten or used as ingredients in traditional herbal medicines.

The leaves and pods are commonly eaten in parts of India and Africa (1).

This is a photo of Moringa oleifera leaves, powder and capsules:

The leaves are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals. One cup of fresh, chopped leaves (21 grams) contains the following (2):

Protein: 2 grams

Vitamin B6: 19% of the RDA

Vitamin C: 12% of the RDA

Iron: 11% of the RDA

Riboflavin (B2): 11% of the RDA

Vitamin A (from beta-carotene): 9% of the RDA

Magnesium: 8% of the RDA

In Western countries, dried leaves are sold as dietary supplements, in either powder or capsule form.

Compared to the leaves, the pods are generally lower in vitamins and minerals. However, they are exceptionally rich in vitamin C. One cup of fresh, sliced pods (100 grams) contains 157% of your daily requirement for vitamin C.

The diets of people in developing nations sometimes lack vitamins, minerals and protein. In these countries, Moringa oleifera can be an important source of many essential nutrients.

However, there is one downside. Moringa leaves may also contain high levels of antinutrients, which can reduce the absorption of minerals and protein (3, 4).

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you’re taking Moringa oleifera as a supplement, taking it in capsules won’t supply large amounts of nutrients.

The amounts are negligible compared to what you are already getting if you eat a balanced, real food-based diet.

Bottom line: Moringa leaves are rich in many important nutrients, including protein, vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin and iron.

If you want to try Moringa oleifera supplements, there is an excellent selection available on Amazon.

To sum up, Moringa oleifera is an Indian tree that has been used in traditional medicine for a very long time.

It has been used to treat various different conditions and diseases, but only a few of the health claims have been studied scientifically (1).

So far, studies have shown that Moringa oleifera may lead to modest reductions in blood sugar and cholesterol. It may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and protect against arsenic toxicity.

Moringa leaves are also highly nutritious, and should be particularly beneficial for people who are lacking in essential nutrients.

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